Galatians220Sermon

30 August 2026

This sermon on Galatians 2:20 traces the profound implications of Paul's confrontation with Peter in Antioch over a simple change of seating. The preacher explains that beneath this social awkwardness lay a theological crisis: the Judaizers were not rejecting Christ but adding to him—trying to supplement the gospel with law-keeping, essentially asking the church to walk backward through redemptive history. The sermon unpacks Paul's revolutionary declaration that the believer has been crucified with Christ, meaning the verdict of justification has already come. This is not a future achievement but a past, completed fact. The "I" that has died is the self constantly on trial, desperate for vindication through performance and keeping rules. What remains is a reconstituted self whose identity rests entirely on Christ, making it impossible for any earthly audience to revoke one's worth. The preacher connects this ancient error to modern forms of self-salvation through professional achievement, parental credentials, and unforgiving moral codes. Finally, he emphasizes that faith is not merely the entrance to Christianity but its operating system, lived daily through grace. The love of Christ—personally directed, known in its pronouns—alone has the power to genuinely transform behavior by replacing a controlling idol with a greater affection.